AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) wishes to advise the Match Review Panel (MRP) has reviewed all matches played in Round 6 of the 2020/21 TIO NTFL season, and the following charge has been laid.
Men’s Division 1
Michael Graham of Waratah Football Club has been charged with using abusive, insulting, threatening or obscene language towards an umpire in the third quarter of the TIO NTFL Men’s Division 1 match between Waratah and PINT Football Club at TIO Stadium on Saturday 7 November 2020.
Based on the evidence available, it was the view of the MRP that the language Graham is alleged to have used is in-line with the Auditory Offences matrix (Appendix 9) that is part of the AFLNT Rules and Regulations (2020-21 edition) and should be classified as medium, meaning the comment could be heard 10 to 50 metres away, while the conduct was rated as abusive/obscene. This has resulted in a three-match penalty.
In summary, Graham can accept a two-match penalty with an early guilty plea.
The clubs/players via the club's tribunal advocate has until 9:00pm tonight (Tuesday) to accept the early plea or lodge an appeal to have the matter heard by an independent Tribunal.
*UPDATED Wednesday 11 November morning*
The tribunal will not sit after Michael Graham accepted his early guilty plea.
